Kia’s K4 Hatchback – TRAVEL & LEISURE

Kia’s K4 Hatchback

TRAVEL & LEISURE

(Travel by Car, Leisure by Florida)

For what it’s worth, I submitted to the conversion therapy back in ’89. Having lost the company car (in retail sales, I thought I’d always have a company car…) our $17K Jeep became two $8500 Civic hatchbacks. And while neither Honda boasted offroad cred, they were adequately quick, reasonably comfortable, and handled well – especially when compared to that ’87 Cherokee! And even within the context of almost 40 years ago, spending under $10K on a new car was a total win…hell, even I knew it.

Today, that same barrier is closer to $30K, and a small hatch – if you can find one – offers an attractive combination of affordability, accessibility and utility. It’s essentially a more fuel-efficient crossover, and doesn’t impose the jump in window sticker when opting for that car-based SUV. Regrettably, there are few players in the hatchback game. Kia’s K4 Hatchback is a player – and could become a big fish in this (still) relatively small pond. 

Sharing its basic platform with Kia K4 4-door sedan, the hatchback is shorter in overall length, and far better integrated within its overall design. The sedan is described either as ‘edgy’ – by charitable observers – or ‘awkward’, by those less charitable. The hatch dispenses with the somewhat disarming juncture between the sedan’s greenhouse and trunk, in part by simply eliminating the trunk. The result, at least in profile, is a fully integrated small hatch which might be likened from an Italian outfit, if – you know – the Italians were serious about exporting an affordable hatch. They’re not. 

When compared to VW’s GTI, the Kia hatch is 5.5 inches longer on a wheelbase 3.4 inches greater, while its width of 72.8 inches is an increase of 2.4 inches. And with the Kia’s lower height, the hatchback is aggressively planted, while access requires a little more flexibility when compared to the People’s hatchback.

Inside, digital instrumentation and infotainment are combined into one horizontal screen. And while as intuitive as these things get, some ventilation functions can be obscured by the steering wheel. But that wheel is perfectly proportioned, sharing the black/white color combo of the K4’s SynTex perforated vinyl. And despite the K4’s compact footprint four adults will fit comfortably – if they are NFL trainers and not NFL players.

On the road the Kia’s turbocharged 1.6 liter four and 8-speed auto get you where you want to go (we were headed to Clearwater, Florida from the DC area) and when you want to get there.

I wouldn’t dismiss the K4’s base powertrain, but if you can afford the turbo, you should buy the turbo. With it, you’ll arrive at 60 in just over 7 seconds. But even better, on the road 70 feels like 50, and 85 seems like 60. Kia’s K4 has legs, and on our two long days of driving – to Chattanooga on the first day, and into Clearwater on the second – the hatchback never felt strained.

The K4 Hatchback is just arriving at Kia showrooms, so inventories might be short. But if you have $30K to invest, that $30,000 will go a long way…from Northern Virginia to a Florida beach!

Next week: Where we stopped, and why we stopped there.